MAX Clifford has lost a Court of Appeal challenge against his eight-year jail sentence for a string of sex offences.

His legal team had claimed that the term was "too long", but the appeal was dismissed by a panel of judges today.

Clifford, 71, was jailed in May after being convicted of a string of indecent assaults carried out between 1977 and 1984, using his celebrity connections to lure women.

The former celebrity agent, who branded his accusers "fantasists", denied the charges, but was convicted at London's Southwark Crown Court.

Announcing the court's decision, Lord Justice Treacy said that Clifford's victims were "young and vulnerable" at the time of the offences.

He said: "Each was affected in respect of confidence and relationships and was harmed by what had been done to her.

"This is a case where it is clear that the effect of what was done to the victims was not something from which they recovered quickly."

The judge said Clifford's offending involved "an abuse of a powerful position coupled with deceit", and that he had shown "no remorse at any stage", adding that an eight-year sentence was "justified and correct".

At a recent appeal hearing, Clifford's barrister Richard Horwell QC told Lord Justice Treacy, Mr Justice Turner and Judge Michael Pert that the last offence was committed 29 years ago, "since when he has led an industrious life, and devoted a considerable part of his time to charitable works for which he has raised substantial funds".

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The former PR guru is serving his prison sentence in Cambridgeshire

An overall sentence of eight years was justified and correct

Lord Justice Treacy

Mr Horwell said that for a number of reasons the sentence imposed was "too long", adding: "Although the sentencing process must reflect modern attitudes, and I fully accept that that is our law, the sentencing process must not abandon common sense and fairness."

Rosina Cottage QC, for the Crown, said the total sentence imposed was one the trial judge was "entitled to reach".

When sentencing Clifford, Judge Anthony Leonard told him his personality and position in the public eye were the reasons his crimes were not revealed earlier.

He said: "The reason why they were not brought to light sooner was because of your own dominant character and your position in the world of entertainment which meant that your victims thought that you were untouchable, something that I think you too believed."

He added: "These offences may have taken place a long time ago, when inappropriate and trivial sexual behaviour was more likely to be tolerated, but your offending was not trivial, but of a very serious nature."

Clifford is currently serving his sentence at Littlehey Category C men's prison in Cambridgeshire.